Springless window shades



May 24, 1955 LsusoN 2,708,967

SPRINGLESS wINDow sHADEs .Filed Feb. 5, 1954 www "HHIHU l 1N V EN TOR.Byfsada/eason AT TOR/VE YS United States Patent() 2,708,967 y SPRINGLEssWINDOW sHADEs Isadore Suson, Denver, Colo.

Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,522

43 Claims. (Cl. 16o-298) This invention relates to improvements inspringless window shades.

Window shades of the roller type are extensively employed both forresidences and for business buildings. By far the greater number of suchroller shades are of the type employing a torsion spring positioned inone end of the roller for winding the shade thereonto. This type ofroller shade is provided with a clever means for latching the rollerwith the shade in any desired position.

There are available today roller shades that do not employ springs forwinding the shade onto the roller but which employ an endless cord thatpasses around a grooved pulley non-rotatably attached to the shaderoller and Which turns the roller in either direction as determined bythe direction in which the cord is moved. And it is to this type ofshade operating mechanism that the present invention relates.

In order to describe the invention and its manner of use, reference willnow be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has beenillustrated and in which:

Figure 1 shows one corner of a window frame showing the shade positionedbetween the window frame jambs;

Figure 2 is a view showing the shade mounted on the enter surface of thewindow trim;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing one end of ashade roller mounted as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 3, showing the rollermounted in the window frame as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one form of mounting bracket,taken looking through plane 5 5, Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of another form of mounting brackettaken looking through plane 6--6 Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 7 7, Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of one of the principal elements of thisinvention, taken looking through plane 8-8, Figure 4, and in thedirection of arrow 8 in Figure 9;v

Figure 9 is an edge elevational view looking towards the left in Figure8;

Figure 10 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 10--10, Figure 4;

Figure 11 is a side elevaton of one of the elements.

Figure l2 is a-section somewhat similar to Figure 4, showing a slightlymodified form;

Figure 13 is an end view, partly in section, taken on line 13-13, Figure12; and

Figure 14 is a diametrical section of one end of the roller, similar tothat shown in Fig. 3, and shows a modification.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral 15 designates the jambof a window frame and 16 the window trim. The glass has been designatedby reference numeral 17 and the window sash by 18. In Figure 1 the shadePatented May 24, 1955 roller 19 is mounted between the jambs 15, whilein Figure 2 it is mounted on the trim.

Referring now to the mounting shown in Figure 2 and the operating deviceillustrated in Figures 3 to 1l inclusive; reference numeral 20designates an angle bracket having a base 21 provided with openings forscrews 22 by means of which it is attached to the window trim. Thevertical side of bracket 20 is provided with an elongated hole 23 andtwo T-shaped openings 24. The operating device consists of a shafthaving a square section 25 and a threaded section 26 of smallertransverse diameter than the diagonal distance across the square sectionso as to provide a shoulder 27 that serves as an abutment for washers 28and 29. A serrated pulley 30 has been shown as threaded onto section 26and forced against washer 29 and is held in place by frictionalresistance. Positioned adjacent the pulley is a combined friction brakeand attaching device 31 which consists of a thin metal plate having acircular portion 32; two brake shoe portions 33 that project over thepulley and two fastening projections 34 that project in the oppositedirection from the brake shoes and which terminate in arrow heads 35 asshown in Figure 7. A thin nut or a horseshoe clip 36 holds member 31 inplace. The square end of the shaft extends into a square hole in theroller cap as shown in Figure 3 and projections 34 extend into andthrough openings 24, all as shown in Figure 3. An endless cord 40 passesthrough the space between the pulley and the brake shoes and is of suchsize that it is somewhat compressed so as to force it into engagementwith the serrations 41 on the periphery of the pulley. The other end ofthe roller has not been shown but it is provided with a pivot pin thatturns in an opening in an ordinary curtain roller bracket. The threeparts 28, 29 and 30 may be a single casting instead of separate parts,as shown in Figure 4.

When the shade is mounted as shown in Figure l, a slightly differentbracket is employed and this has been illustrated in Figures 4 and 6.Instead of the part 20 having a base or ange 21, its ends are tlrstoffset as indicated by 41 and then bent outwardly forming feet 42 thatare provided with openings 43 for fastening screws.

When ordinary spring rollers that have springs 44 are to be convertedinto springless rollers the simplest way is to slip a cap 45 over theend as shown in Figure 12. Cap 45 has a rectangular hole for the end 46and holds that part from turning. Instead of a square shaft, like 25 inFigures 3 and 4, a short shaft 25a has an opening for the reception ofend 46, as shown in Figure l2. In this way the conversion can be quicklyelected.

Instead of a square shaft as shown at 25 in Figures 3 and 4, a nail-likeshaft 2511 (Fig. 6) can be used and this can be provided with a attenedend 46 to lit the correspondingly shaped socket in 25a.

In the construction shown in Figure 4 the end of shaft towards the righthas been shown smooth and the parts 28, 29 and 30 have a pressed ttherewith. Other modifications can be made within the scope of theappended claims.

From the above it will be seen that the device illustrated is simple,substantial and adapted for use in converting roller shades of thespring type into springless shade roller shades. The cap 47 shown inFigure 3 can be provided with a square hole that cooperates with thesquare portion of the shaft and the opening in the wooden roller can beround and larger than the shaft; this makes it possible to convert thespring shade rollers into springless shade rollers.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A device for the purpose specified, comprising in combination abracket having a ilat surface provided with two T-shaped openings, saidbracket having at least one perforated ange adapted to receive screws orthe like to secure it to a supporting surface; means for turning a shaderoller and for rotatably supporting one end thereof from said plate,comprising a shaft having an inner non-circular end section and an outerround end section, a flange extending outwardly from said shaft in xedrelation thereto, between the two sections, a pulleylike member with aserrated peripheral surface fixed to the round section of the shaftadjacent said ange, and an attaching device having a bearing, the roundsection of the shaft being journaled in said bearing at a point adjacentthe outer surface of the pulley, said attaching device havingdiametrically positioned extensions projecting laterally from one sidethereof, extensions terminating in spear heads projecting through the T-openings in the bracket, for electing a removable connection therewith,brake shoes extending laterally from the other side, lapping theperipheral surface of the pulley for urging an operating cord intoengagement with the peripheral surface thereof, serving also as a brakefor resisting any unintentional rotation of the roller.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the flat surface of thebracket has an elongated opening positioned between the T-shapedopenings for the reception of the outer end of the shaft.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the attaching device issecured in position by means of a thin holding member in interlockingengagement with the round end surface of the Shaft.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,706,511 Baber Mar. 26, 1929 1,943,648 Wessman Ian. 16, 1934 2,217,067McCauley Oct. 8, 1940 2,445,452 Peed July 20, 1948 2,487,385 SchaperNov. 8, 1949

